MP's taskforce call on children at risk in Calais 'jungle'

James Gray, MP for North Wiltshire, made his intervention during an urgent debate in the House of Commons yesterday.

The Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, was called to Parliament to explain to MPs just what the Government was doing to secure the safety of children within the squalid jungle camp, particularly given that it is due to be demolished within days.

While she reiterated the Government’s commitment to extract those children with a legal right to come to the UK, she also gave the impression that bureaucratic delays on the part of the French authorities were still very much a problem.

France is yet to provide the UK government with a list of names of eligible children.

Challenging the Government to do more, Mr Gray said: “There can be no doubting the Home Secretary’s compassion or her determination to do something about this appalling problem for up to 400 children who have a perfect right to come here.

“I congratulate the Government on doing more this year than last year, as the numbers have gone up significantly.

“None the less, this is a major crisis, and the camp will be cleared within days. It appears that there has been huge bureaucratic confusion in France, and dockets have been lost.

“Apparently, there are only four French officials in the camp, which is poor.

“It is time for the British Government to set up a taskforce, with British officials working with French officials, which should go to the camp, sort out these people, find out who they are, and bring them back.”

His calls were backed by MPs across the House.

Labour MP Alison McGovern said: “May I draw the Home Secretary’s attention to the question from the honourable member for North Wiltshire about a taskforce?

“We seem to be arguing about bureaucracy, but these are children who need help. Cannot a British and French taskforce get into that camp and sort it out?”

The Home Secretary told her that British officials were already working in Calais, albeit only “every other day for the past two or three weeks.”

The French government has committed to identifying those children eligible for removal from the jungle within the next week and the Government says it is ready to act swiftly when, and if, that transpires.

Ms Rudd said: “We have certainly noticed a significant uplift in the effort, people, time and professional commitment that the French are willing to put in.

"Because they are moving closer to clearing the camps, they are now very keen to work with us and help us to identify the children whom we can legally take over, and my hon. Friend should be in no doubt that we are working closely with them to ensure that we can do that with all possible speed.”

This statement in the Commons followed a recent open letter to the Home Secretary from a number of Conservative MPs including Mr Gray.

The letter reiterated that “we must champion the role of the family in resolving this refugee crisis. Family reunion is the best tool we have for offering a legal and safe way to get unaccompanied children back into the arms of their family and out of the hands of the traffickers. We must ensure we do all we can to use the love and power of the family to keep children safe.”